For the first time in his five-year professional career, the big, rugged blueliner was traded; not once, but twice.

For the first time, the 25-year-old, who was taken with the 10th overall pick by the New York Rangers in 2010, will be a free agent after the season.

And for the first time, McIlrath is finally showing the potential that was seen in him when he was drafted in the top ten. It just took him stepping back from the spotlight to do it.

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After falling out of favor with the Rangers this season and spending all but one game of the first few weeks of the year as a healthy scratch, McIlrath was eventually traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Steven Kampfer and a seventh-round pick. However, he got into just five NHL games with Florida, tallying one goal, before being dealt on deadline day with a third-round pick to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Thomas Vanek.

Detroit assigned the 6-foot-5, 221 pounder to AHL Grand Rapids, and he’s finally flourished there, leading a Griffins team that’s one game away from winning the Calder Cup with a +13 rating while adding in five assists in his first 17 postseason contests.

“I think my game suits the playoffs,” McIlrath told The Trentonian just outside the visiting locker room at Syracuse’s War Memorial Arena on Friday.

“I always seem to try to rise to the occasion then. Maybe I’m getting lucky sometimes, but not getting scored against is the main thing. I’m focusing on my job, and it’s helped me out. In this system, they love developing their players. Me being a guy that’s taken a little longer than I anticipated, being in this environment has been good for me.”

That’s something that was perhaps hard to do under the media scrutiny that came with not only playing in the Big Apple, but being a high draft pick. McIlrath was often the target of vitriol from fans and even the media – hard to avoid when comparing his performance to others selected around him – but has found success in taking a step back, whether he wanted to or not.

“When I was in it, I was so wrapped up in it, I didn’t know any better,” he said. “But yeah, stepping away from it a bit…I’m not in the media at all, so it’s a different experience. I don’t know how much that affects your game. I’m just fortunate enough to be playing good hockey right now, and obviously not worrying about what other people are saying right now. I just want to win a championship.”

That would be another first for McIlrath, who has provided a steady presence on the Griffins blueline constructed mostly of fellow veterans.

“I’ve never been in this position, so obviously I’m taking it all in,” he said. “I have to keep it even keel. You try to approach (Saturday’s Game 5) like it’s any other game, but you know what’s at stake too, so you just try to bring your best.”

It’s been a long, winding road this season for McIlrath, who is trying to claw his way back into the NHL next year. Stressful as it’s been, he’s one game away from winning the top prize in the minors before striving towards that next step.

“Right now, it’s pretty sweet,” he said. “I haven’t thought about the whole year with focusing on the playoffs, but obviously it was a difficult year. From being a guy that had never been traded before to five teams (minors and the NHL) in one year, it was definitely a different experience. When you look at the big picture, it’s all worth it right now.”